Many attempts have been made to construct a portable support boom for window washers. However, while all of these have accomplished their intended purpose, they inherently had one or more deficiencies.
For example, one prior art boom includes a triangular base which is placed on the roof adjacent the edge and has an apex by which the boom is supported as it extends out over the side of the building. At the inner end of the boom, which rests on the roof is a transverse support in which concrete blocks or other weights can be placed for acting as a counterweight for the boom. The boom is not easily transportable from one location to the other but must be carried in several pieces. Also, as the window washer works across the building, periodically he must come up and dissemble the boom and move it laterally across the building to the next location and reassemble it. Thus, the labor involved is substantial and the time actually spent cleaning windows is substantially minimized because of the repetitive assembly and disassembly time required.
Another portable boom, is sold by Fitch Enterprises of Council Bluffs, Iowa. It is sold under the trademark "The Mule". This device has a beam supported between two pairs of spaced wheel supports so that it can be laterally moved along the roof surface. The wheels may be provided with different length legs for different roof structures. Also, an extension beam can be utilized. However, all of these parts are separate and must be carried to the job location separately from the main beam and wheels.